“Why do you think the International Monetary Fund (IMF) referred to the country’s politics while saying that we do not comment on politics?”
“Reminds me of a line in Shakespeare’s Hamlet: The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
“Okay but to express the hope that we Pakistanis would find a peaceful way forward in line with the constitution and the rule of law, I mean we are currently on a twenty plus Fund programme, on average each programme is around three years. So in effect, in our total history since 1947, we have not engaged with the Fund for a maximum of say less than six years and they still don’t know us.”
“Ha ha, talk about not learning any lessons. Reminds me of Nawaz Sharif. I suggest we express the hope that all Fund retirees should get residency in Pakistan and join the PML-N….”
“At least they would know more about economics than The Accountant.”
“Right but as long as Nawaz Sharif is the decision maker The Accountant will trump all economists.”
“That is sad but true…anyway my take on the IMF’s political comment is that Shehbaz Sharif, briefed by The Accountant, told the Managing Director of the Fund that the entire fault is with The Khan and so please, please declare the staff level agreement a success.”
“Oh so you reckon the Fund statement is a response to what Shehbaz Sharif claimed during his conversation with the Fund’s MD?”
“Yes and don’t forget what followed the statement, was a reference to Dar’s flawed policy of again controlling the exchange rate and…”
“Right as we say in Urdu aik aqalmand kay liye ishara hi kaafi hai which is translated as follows: for a wise person a mere hint is enough…”
“Hmmmm.”
“What?”
“I don’t think this is quite applicable to our politicians – certainly not the Big Two – Nawaz Sharif and The Khan and perhaps not applicable to some very senior officials in the three pillars of our dear state…”
“If you mean the army…”
“No good heavens no, contrary to what you may think theoretically under our constitution the army is not a pillar of state – the three pillars are the executive, the judiciary and the legislature.”
“So as Mark Antony said in Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar I come to bury Caesar not to praise him, the evil that men do, lives after them, the good is oft interred in their bones so let it be with Caesar.”
“My only response: will the real Caesar come forward!”
“Don’t be facetious.’
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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